Microsoft invests $4 billion to build artificial intelligence data center in Wisconsin
Microsoft has announced plans to build a second artificial intelligence data center in Racine County, Wisconsin. The company, which develops software, cloud services, and AI technology, invested $4 billion into the project, which will create 800 new jobs once the facility is complete.
The new facility will join a $3.3 billion data center in Mount Pleasant that remains on track to open next year and will employ about 500 people at its peak. Together, the two sites will expand Microsoft’s total investment in Wisconsin to more than $7 billion.
According to the company, the site will eventually house the world’s most powerful AI supercomputer by connecting hundreds of thousands of Nvidia chips. To support operations, Microsoft said it will pre-pay for electrical infrastructure to avoid raising electricity rates in the region. The facility will also feature a cooling system that takes advantage of Wisconsin’s cool climate, keeping annual water usage at the level of an average restaurant.
To offset energy use, Microsoft will build solar power in another part of Wisconsin, though company President Brad Smith noted that new fossil fuel power generation will also be developed near the facilities. Smith said the project will require thousands of construction jobs during the build phase in addition to the permanent roles created once the facilities are operational.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Brad Smith, President, Microsoft, said, “All the things that we build need to be operated. It needs to be maintained. These are good jobs.”
Manufacturers investing in Wisconsin
Angelalign Technology to open 52,000-square-foot clear aligner manufacturing facility in Wisconsin
The new facility is slated to create nearly 200 jobs and will feature automated, proprietary 3D printing technology.
ABB invests $100M to open industrial electric drive manufacturing campus in Wisconsin
The new campus will employ 700 workers, with an additional 100 new jobs being created over the next three years.
XeteX breaks ground on air handling equipment manufacturing facility in Wisconsin
The new factory will allow XeteX to double its capacity, and production is expected to begin in 2025.
Investing in American manufacturing in 2025
This map shows where manufacturers are choosing to invest their resources, whether they are building new production facilities or expanding existing plants.